Page:Adrift in the Pacific, Sampson Low, 1889.djvu/39

Rh "Agreed I" said Gordon. "Suppose, Donagan, you go to-morrow?"

"That will suit me very well," said Donagan.

"Webb, Cross, and Wilcox, will you come too?"

"Rather!" said they; only too well pleased at the idea of blazing away into such a bird crowd.

"But don't kill too many pigeons," said Briant.

"We know now where to find them when we want them. Don't waste powder and shot — "

"All right!" said Donagan, who did not like advice — particularly from Briant." It is not the first time we have had a gun."

An hour afterwards Moko announced that dinner was ready, and the boys hurried up the ladder on to the schooner and took their seats in the dining saloon. Owing to the yacht heeling over so much, the table sloped considerably; but that made little difference to those accustomed to the rolling of the ship. The shellfish, particularly the mussels, were declared to be excellent, although their seasoning left something to be desired; but at that age hunger is the best sauce. A biscuit and piece of corned beef and fresh water from the stream, taken when the tide was at the lowest so as to avoid its being brackish, made an acceptable meal.

The afternoon was spent in arranging the things that had been entered on the list; Jenkins and his companions going off to fish in the river and having fair sport among the finny crowd that swarmed about its mouth. After supper all were glad to get to bed, except Baxter and Wilcox, whose turn it was to keep guard.